Thousands of ballots have already been thrown out in Washington

[Herman Munster]

Thousands of ballots being cast in Washington's presidential preference primary are invalid because voters aren't signing a ballot oath identifying themselves as a Democrat or a Republican, Secretary of State Sam Reed said Friday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/09/saturday-primary-contests_n_85829.html

[sam sarrha]

1. maybe that is because they arent democrats....?

[samdogmom]

2. It's a caucus in Washington. Does this mean they're being

refused entrance to the caucus? What do they need ballots for?

[yewberry]

9. Incredibly, we have both.

We caucus today, and then there's a non-binding primary.

Headache-inducing, isn't it?

[JackORoses]

3. This 'Primary' is a non-binding vote taking place over a week from now.

Today, WA will hold Caucuses where the actual Delegates will be determined.

Take your faux-outrage elsewhere, Hermie.

It's a shame that you are already making excuses for Hillary's loss.

[bigtree]

5. the AP is reporting this

so much for your criticism that the OP is 'making excuses'

[JackORoses]

12. well, when Today's Caucus is what counts,

and the OP attempts to draw people's attention to a non-binding Primary

my spidey sense goes off, and I call BS

[Straight Shooter]

6. Where do you see outrage in Herman's post? He's reporting the facts.

Don't be so thin-skinned. It reminds people of your candidate.

[hedgehog]

4. So the ballots have already been thrown out at 11PM PST for a caucus

that doesn't start until 1PM PST?

[yewberry]

10. No, we caucus today.

There's a primary, too, and ballots are by mail. The article is talking about those ballots.

[newmajority]

7. Herman, this is a caucus state.

The primary ballots don't mean shit for Democrats anyway. The Repukes have some odd mix of delegates and ballots. So this might affect their race, but not ours.

And for the record, Sam Reed might be the last honest Republican in this state. He went against his own party to keep Dino Rossi from stealing the governor's mansion in 2004, and has always been opposed to the religious reich wing which dominates the state GOP.

[gateley]

8. Oh - I THINK I'm getting it. They require the 'oath' in order to caucus -

where it makes a difference if they're a dem or a republican? Is that right?

Was that an attempt to prevent false voting from trolls from the opposing party? If that was the intention, that's good, but what good does an oath do?

Does anybody understand WHY WA State implemented a caucus this year? And, is it normal for a State to have BOTH a caucus and a primary? Thanks for any enlightenment.

[UALRBSofL]

11. Trying to keep the republicans out

Looks like to me.

[newmajority]

13. These ballots have nothing to do with the caucus.

There is a primary election in Washington on Tuesday the 19th. However, the Democratic part of the primary is meaningless, as we choose our delegates from the caucus alone, while the Republicans choose half of their delegates from the caucus and half from the primary.

I have a mail in ballot, and on the envelope there are two "oaths" to choose from. Washington state does not require you to register with a party, but these oaths do ask you to affirm that you have participated in only one party's process, and not the other, which is reasonable. (Though admittedly, I'm tempted to mail in a 'Puke ballot with either the Huckster or Ron Paul marked on it)

Because you don't register as a party member in this state, there's no way to determine who is a Democrat and who is a Republican at a caucus, unless they come in yelling "WHERE DO I SIGN UP TO VOTE AGAINST THAT ISLAMOFASCIST BROKE HUSSEIN OSAMA!!!1111!!!!", at which point, I would personally escort them off the premises.

[gateley]

15. Do you know why they have decided to implement this system? And am I

correct in thinking this is something new? Thanks!

[leftstreet]

18. The primary system started in 1989

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/307761_primary16.html

The state's presidential primary was created in 1989 through an initiative to the Legislature. State Democrats have ignored it; state Republicans have used its results in varying degrees in allocating delegates who support a particular candidate.

[gateley]

19. Thanks so much! nt

[grantcart]

14. the primary election is a beauty poll in WA no delegates are at stake

all delegates are chosen at the caucuses

[WillyT]

16. Here's More:

<snip>

Absentee voters must check off a box next to the Democratic or Republican oath and sign the envelope.

Nearly one in four King County voters who mailed in their ballots did not identify themselves as Democrat or Republican, nullifying their votes in the presidential primary.

The elections office Friday called it a combination of protest and error. Some voters do not want to publicly declare a political party, even though their vote remains secret. Other voters might not know their votes will not be counted unless they choose a party.

"It's clear that voters have strong feelings about having to take an oath," said Bobbie Egan, spokeswoman for King County Elections.

On the King County absentee-ballot envelope, voters must check off a box next to the Democratic or Republican oath and sign the envelope. The oath declares that the voter is a member of that party who will not participate in the nomination process for any other political party this year.

As of Thursday, King County had received 70,167 ballots for the Feb. 19 primary, and a party had not been checked off on as many as 17,500 envelopes. In Snohomish County, about 30 percent of the 60,000 ballots already mailed in will not be counted because of the failure to note a party affiliation.

For Democrats, even ballots filled out correctly will serve as more of an opinion poll. Delegates for the national convention will be apportioned based on the results of today's caucuses, not the primary.

<snip>

Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004173439_primaryballot09m.html

:shrug:

[WillyT]

17. And:

Link: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/350701_ballots09.html

:shrug: